Top Three Most Popular Irish Food

Each country has a certain food, fruit or dish for which they are known for. When you travel to that country, it is highly impossible hat you will not be invited to try out the dish since, I assume, they are proud of that and they would want other people to try it out and hopefully like it. There is some sort of dynamics between food and culture. If you like the food that they have it almost definitely means that you like their culture. It may not be true but it appears that way. If you do not like it, the best would still be to try it because that would mean you are respectful of the country’s culture even if you yourself do not like it for yourself.

In Ireland, they are not as passionate with food as they are with music. There is not a lot of variety of Irish food but they have their own dishes still. Here are some of the favorites:

1) Irish Stew – Traditional Irish Stew is known to be one of the best stews in the world. There are varieties of the dish but they are all generally cooked the same way. In Irish it is called Stobhach Gaelech and is very popular in Europe. While lamb is traditionally the meet of choice, beef and mutton are also highly suitable choices. Here is the recipe for making Irish Stew.

In serving it, serve it over the mashed potatoes. The best way theIrish stew is served however is if it has been cooked overnight or at least half a day before it is eaten. This is because Irish Stew is best served when it has been reheated as the extra time allows the meat to soak in all the ingredients more. It also allows the meat to be more tender and less tough.

2) UlsterFry – Each country has this special breakfast that they are known for. Some countries have big breakfasts while others may only be a couple of pieces of fruit found in their land. Nevertheless, as we all know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When you travel to Ireland it would be best to try their traditional breakfast because it will definitely put you in the mood of exploring this beautiful country. Behold, the Ulster Fry.

When you read the words “Ulster Fry”, what comes to mind? I guess you would say that the meal is fried right? Well you are correct sir. Or ma’am.

This meal comes from Northern Ireland and while it is traditionally a breakfast dish, people like it so much that they would eat it at any time of the day. The dish is composed of Bacon, Sausages, Black Pudding, Mushrooms, Tomato and Eggs served with Soda Bread and Potato Farl. Like I said, the key method is frying and it could be a little too much for those who are on a diet. One can also request for the ingredients to be grilled but it removes some of the fat that is essential to make the dish a lot more flavorful. Moreover, the pan where the bacon and sausages were fried will also be used for the Soda Bread and the Potato Farl. The bacon and sausages would be put on an oven to keep warm while the rest is cooked and this extra cooking also makes the food juicier and more tender as well. Lastly, fry a couple of eggs, sunny side up. That’s the last ingredient and as one can see, it is definitely for someone who wants a hearty meal.

The Ulster Fry will keep you loaded for the rest of the morning and for sure, it would also force you to walk more later on because you would want to burn off all the calories you took!

3) Champ – The Champ is here! The Champ is here!I’m sorry but I just couldn’t help it. The Champ is actually quite simple to make. Essentially, the Champ is just mashed potatoes with scallions in it.

Young potatoes are peeled and boiled until they can mashed. However, do not boil it to the point that it becomes watery and therefore one should be very careful when doing it. While boiling the potatoes, chop the scallions to half inch sizes. Boil the chopped scallions into a pot of milk and bring it to a boil. Remember that fresh milk is best for this type of dish. Simmer for about a minute and then add the potatoes. Mash them in the fresh milk and add butter and salt to taste. Lastly, add some parsley to add a little more flavor and color to the dish.

The Champ may be the meal itself or used as a side dish. It’s best served with meat recipes like lamb and beef. The important thing however is to make sure that the Champ is good in itself. During dinner parties, people like to eat the Champ after the main dish. Usually it is eaten while people are winding down and having a good conversation with the dinner guests. This is why it should not be taken for granted as a dish. The Champ may accompany a dish but it is second to no one. That is why it is called the Champ.

Irish Food is uniquely its own. It reflects the culture of the nation and one could appreciate the beauty of the its culture with their food.